Barrel-header.



No. s'2s,|29..' Pannen-my la, |899.

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BAnnsL HEADER. appunti amnp. 14, Isae.)

(no Modal.)

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' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BRITAIN HOLMES, OF BUFFALO, v'NEV YORK.

BARREL-HEADER.

srncIrI'cArIoN forming para of Leetersratent No. 629,129, dated Jury is, ieee. n Application ledd'anuary l14, 1898. Y Serial No. 666,588. (No model.) f

zen of the United States, residing at Buffalo,

in the county of Erie and State of New York,

have invented certain new and useful I1n' provements in Barrel-Headers, of whichthe following is a specification. Y

My invention relates' to a noveland independent means complete in itself and not forming part of a press or frame for supporting and guiding the head of a barrel to the croze; and the object is to provide a simple, cheap, and easily-operated device which is adapted to be seated within the open mouth of the barrel and to be expanded automatically against the interior of the staves by the passage of the head, thereby circumferen-V tially enlarging the open mouth of the barrel to aord an easy entrance forv the head into the Croze, spring means being employed to contract the device to its normal circumference after the passage of the head, thus allowing the staves to embrace the head immediately upon its entrance into the croze.

It also relates to certain details 0f constru ction, all of which will be fully and clearly hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l represents a top plan view-of my improved barrel-head holding and guiding device. Fig. 2 represents asimilar view showing the support or disk within the'device preparatory to placing the several pieces composing a barrel-head in' position within the same. Fig; 3 represents a top plan view of the device, showing the several parts of a barrel-head in position therein preparatory toA insertingthe headfin the barrel.4 Fig.4rep resents a plan viewof the disk which is prefi erably employed to limit the distance the barrel-head 'is forcedv into the guiding device preparatory to inserting it in a barrel-Croze. Fig. '5 represents a vertical cehtralsection through the device on or` about line a o., Fig.

3, looking in the direction of the arrowV, showing also 'a section through a portion of a barrel. Fig. 6 represents a top plan view showing a modification of the device. Fig. 7 5o represents a suitable'machine for forcing the barrel-head through the guiding device and into the barrel-Croze, as will more clearly hereinafter appear.

Referring to the drawings in detail, in which like numerals represent like parts, l designates the annular expanding band or ring, which is preferably formed in three portions, having their ends joined Aby means of the springs 2. The springs 2, as shown, also serve as handles for placing the device upon .or removing it from a barrel but they 'may beformed in any style or shape desired, so

'long as they act to retain thering in its normal circu'mferenceor to return it to said circumference after its expansion by the passage of a barrel-head. Thev ring may, however,- be formed in one integral piece, `substantially as shown in Fig. 6, orin two or more sections, if desired.

The ring l is beveled or flared inwardly from the top, thus gradually reducing its circumference'from the top to the bottom, and providing means for vthe easy Ientrance ofthe device into the barrel-mouth and the barrelhead l into the device'. A series of stops 3 project inwardly from the interior of the ring and are adapted to' Vlimit the upward movement of thebarrel-head withinthe device. A series of supports 4 extend outfrom .the periphery of the ring, the office of which is to limit the entrance of and correctly seat the. device within the barrel-mouth by resting on the upper end of the barrel, substantially as shown inAFig.-.

' In placing the head within the Adevice the device itself is first placed Vover asupport, the disk'', of wood or other suitable material, be-

` ing'the l, preferred l.form of said support, and the severallportions of the head are pressed through the ring and upon said support, the support allowing the head portions to pass the stops 3 and substantially limiting any further downward movement. The device is then removed from thesupport, which is smaller than the ringvto permitits removal, substantially as shown-in Fig. 2, and seated upon the barrel, substantially as shown in Fig. 5. The iiaring form of the ring allows the device to be easily inserted in the mouth of the barrel and also acts to support the head firmly within the de- IOO 'and its arm. The lever l0 is provided with a counterweight 1l and may have its pivot seated in any one of the several holes l2, thereby providing means for adjusting the device to different heights of barrels.

It is obvious that changes in the form, proportion, and arrangement of the device may be made without departing from the scope of my invention.

I claim as my inventionl. An independent barrel-head holder andv guider,comprisin g an expansible ring adapted to be seated within the mouth of the barrel and expanded against the staves to enlarge the mouth of the barrel by the passage of the barrel-head.

2. An independent barrelhead holder and guider, comprising a tapering expanding ring adapted to be seated within the mouth of the barrel and expanded against the staves to enlarge the mouth of the barrel, by the passage of the barrel-head, and spring means for returning said ring to its normal condition.

3. An independent barrel-head holder and guider,c0mprising an expansible ring adapted to be seated within the mouth of the barrel, and spring means for normally retaining it in an unexpanded condition,said ring adapted to be circumferentially enlarged against the staves to enlarge the barrel-mouth by the passage of the barrel-head through the same.

4. A barrel-head holder and guider, comprising an expansible ring adapted to be seated within the mouth of the barrel, means for normally retaining it in an unexpanded condition, and devices for limiting its entrance into the barrel-mouth.

5. A barrel-head holder and' guider, comprising an expansible ring, provided with eX- terior devices for limiting its entrance into the vmouth of a barrel, interior devices for preventing the upward removal of the barrelhead, and springs for returning said ring to its normal condition after its expansion by the passage of the head. y

6. A barrel-head holder and guider, comprising a ring formed in two or more sections having their ends united by springs, means for limiting its entrance into the mouth of a barrel and stop devices for preventing the upand also serving as handles, ianges projecting from the periphery of the sections to limit the entrance of the device within the mouth of the barrel and stops projecting from the interior of the sections to limit and prevent the upward movement of the head within the ring, as set forth.

S. In a barrel-header, the combination with suitable head-seatin g means, of an expansible device adapted to temporarily support a barrel-head and to be inserted in the barrel-mouth to direct the head into the croze, and to be automatically expanded by the passage of the head to enlarge the mouth of the barrel sufiicien tly to receive the head and spring means for returning it to its normal unexpanded condition immediately after the passage of the head to allow the barrel-mouth to contract around the head, as set forth.

9. In a barrel-header, the combination with suitable head-seatin g means, of an expansible device adapted to be inserted in the barrelmouth to direct the head into the croze, and provided with stop devices for limiting its entrance into the barrel-mouth.

l0. An independent barrel-head holder and guider, complete in itself and comprising an eXpansible ring adapted to temporarily support a barrel-head and to be seated Within thc mouth of the barrel, and expanded against the staves to enlarge the mouth of the barrel by the pressure of the barrel-head.

ll. An independent barrel-head holder and guider, comprising an expansible ring having means for temporarily supporting a barrelhead and adapted to be seated within the mouth of the barrel, and spring means for normally retaining it in an unexpanded condition, said ring being adapted to be circulnferentially enlarged against the staves to enlarge the barrel-mouth by the'passage of the barrel-head through the same.

l2. An independent barrel-head holder and guider, comprisingatapering expanding ring, adapted to temporarily support a barrel-head and to be seated Within the mouth of the barrel and expanded against the staves to enlarge the mouth of the barrel by the passage of the barrel-head, and spring means for retaining said ring to its normal condition.

BRITAIN HOLMES. lVitnesses:

A. J. SANGSTER, G. A. NEUBAUER.

IOO 

